


Animal (Star Stable)

by Burgie



Series: SSOWeek April 2016 [28]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 08:17:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7794253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jess and Louisa release Birdie back into the wild. Takes place in Autumn Riders.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Animal (Star Stable)

Louisa woke up to a knock on Jessica’s door.

“I’ll get it,” said Louisa, already climbing out of bed.

“No, you don’t have to,” said Jess, rubbing her eyes and blinking.

“No.” Louisa bent down and kissed her forehead. “I’ll get it for you.”

“’kay.” Jess laid back down and closed her eyes, already asleep by the time Louisa got to the bedroom door. She smiled back at her girlfriend and carried on to the front door.

“Hi,” said Louisa when she opened the door. The woman standing at the door frowned in confusion, then shook her head.

“Hello,” said the woman. Louisa vaguely recognised her, and then it finally clicked that she was the vet. She looked different in a sweater and pants.

“Oh, you’re the vet, right. Hi!” said Louisa. “Jess is still in bed but I can get a message to her.”

“The injured bird is ready to be returned to its home,” said the vet, handing Louisa a little cage. “He made a full recovery.”

“Oh, cool! Jess will love to hear that,” said Louisa. “As soon as she gets up and out of bed, we’ll take this little guy home.”

“Normally I would suggest relocating him but he’s a smart little bird, he’ll know now to avoid the track,” said the vet. “Thank you for taking him to me.”

“And thank you for healing him,” said Louisa. “You’re a wonderful vet.” The vet smiled and then left. Louisa noticed a piece of paper on the cage as she shut the front door. Frowning, she put the cage on the kitchen table and then looked at the paper. It was a bill. Louisa glanced to the bedroom, where she could still hear Jessica’s light snoring (which she always insisted didn’t happen), and then took out her shillings pouch. She had enough to cover the bill.

When Jessica finally awoke hours later, Louisa made her a coffee and sat with her at the kitchen table while she drank it. She’d moved Birdie (as she’d named the bird) outside so that he could enjoy the fresh air.

“Do you always sleep in so late?” asked Louisa.

“You kept me up all night,” said Jess. A light blush coloured her cheeks, and Louisa laughed at her. “I don’t know how you could get up so early.”

“I’m just an early riser, I guess,” said Louisa. “When you’ve finished your coffee, I have a surprise for you.”

“If it’s like the surprise last night-“

“No, it’s not that,” said Louisa, giggling, “it’s something else.”

“Well, now I really want to know,” said Jess. She finished her coffee and then rose to her feet. “You could have cooked me breakfast, you know.”

“Sorry, I’m new to the whole ‘girlfriend’ thing,” said Louisa, and sighed. 

“I was just joking,” said Jess, touching the back of her hand gently. “I’ll get dressed and you can show me this surprise.”

“Okay.” Louisa gratefully accepted the kiss that Jess gave her and then went outside to check on Birdie. The little red bird was still sitting on the perch in his cage, twittering away happily.

When Jess returned to the kitchen, she broke into a huge grin at the sight of Birdie. “It’s Birdie!”

“Yeah, surprise,” said Louisa, grinning. “It was the vet at the door this morning, she said that we can return Birdie to the forest now.”

“Oh, I’m so glad,” said Jess, poking her finger through the bars and petting the bird on his little head. She made little clucking noises, and Louisa giggled at her. Jess blushed when she remembered that she had an audience.

After some discussion, Jess decided that they should walk to the forest with the bird. It would be safer that way, but Louisa knew that part of it was because Jessica was reluctant to say goodbye to the little bird. She had visited him at the vet’s every day, after all.

“Do you know where he lives?” asked Louisa when they finally reached the forest.

“Well, I found him here but I wouldn’t know where he really lives,” said Jess. Louisa caught the sheen of tears in her eyes. “I guess he’ll remember the way.”

“Yeah, he will, animals are smart like that,” said Louisa. She put the cage on the ground and then opened the door. “Well, fly free, Birdie. You can go home now.” The little bird looked around but otherwise didn’t move.

“Come on.” Jessica knelt down and cupped her hands inside the cage, which the little bird jumped into. She gently took him out of the cage and held him up in her cupped hands. “Off you go. Fly away.”

“I think he needs a little coaxing,” said Louisa. “Move your hands up and down.”

“Okay.” Jess stroked Birdie’s little wing with her thumb, then moved her hands like Louisa was showing her. It was almost a throwing motion, but not quite. When she extended her arms up, Birdie finally took flight and disappeared into the forest.

“He’s home now,” said Louisa, wrapping her arms around her sniffling girlfriend.

“I miss him already,” said Jess, the strain of almost crying in her voice. “But he’s going home now where he’ll be with his family and his other little animal friends.”

“But he might still come back to visit you,” said Louisa. “Come on.” She kissed Jessica’s forehead, and Jess sniffled and looked at her with teary eyes.

Together, they walked back to where the race began. A little twitter greeted them. Louisa looked up and grinned at what she saw on the race starter. “Hey Jess, look up.”

“Mm?” Jess took her head out of her hands, and her face brightened when she saw the little red bird. “Birdie!”


End file.
